Sarina Wiegman credits Lionesses fans before Ghana clash
LONDON – England manager Sarina Wiegman has praised the “incredible” support the European champions have received during their homecoming series, as the Lionesses conclude their 2025 campaign with a friendly against Ghana on Tuesday.
A crowd of nearly 75,000 watched England defeat China 8-0 at Wembley on Saturday in their first match at the stadium since retaining the Euro 2025 title in July. More than 24,000 spectators are expected at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton for the fixture against Ghana, the final international of a landmark year for Wiegman’s side.
“It’s been an incredible year,” Wiegman said. “The camps since February were great and the tournament was incredible. On the pitch the games were insane, but off the pitch it was really calm. I enjoyed it more than other tournaments.”
Wiegman highlighted the significance of the homecoming series in strengthening the team’s relationship with supporters. “These four homecomings connect with the fans. We had 75,000 last Saturday, tomorrow there are 24,000 tickets sold. That’s really incredible. I don’t take that for granted.”
The England coach will be without Liverpool defender Grace Fisk, who has withdrawn from the squad due to a minor injury. Fisk, 27, is still awaiting her first senior international appearance after being an unused substitute against China.
With the Women’s Super League resuming and several players facing Champions League commitments with Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United, club workloads remain a point of attention for the national team staff. Wiegman said discussions with club managers are ongoing but stressed the importance of international continuity.
“You’ll see some changes tomorrow, trying to manage minutes,” she said. “But we don’t have many opportunities to play friendlies. We only have eight more camps before the World Cup, so you want to use that time together.”
One of the standouts of the homecoming series has been Aston Villa midfielder Lucia Kendall, who made her second England appearance as a substitute against China. Wiegman praised the 22-year-old’s development and consistency at club and international level.
“It went pretty fast how she developed,” Wiegman said. “She’s really competing for more minutes. People think it’s easy, but going from camp with high demands, then club level, then back again — that’s what she does.”
Wiegman’s contract runs until after the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. She said she remains focused on the national team programme and is not considering her long-term future.
“I’m still really enjoying the job,” she said. “I think the team is enjoying that I’m around. Let’s see what the future will bring. I’m very relaxed about it.”
England will use the Ghana match as part of their preparation cycle ahead of the 2027 World Cup, with Wiegman reiterating that building depth and maintaining performance levels remain central to the next phase of the programme.